My World and the Caring for Others

I know I said I would be back on track with our publication track but things in my own world and the world around me have caused me pause.

First, it has been raining like cats and dogs here off and on for almost three days. I love the rain as we almost never get any but this time I knew it would be ominous and I was correct. Now, we were blessed in the fact that the first rain filled day caused nothing to happen. But at the end of the second day, here comes the incessant drip, drip, drip of the water coming through our great room ceiling.

After the last time we thought we had fixed it well enough not to happen again as we have a flat roof on the room. What we really need is a pitched roof because right now the water pools on it and once that happens, we’re goners. But doing a pitched roof takes time and my dear husband likes to do things himself, so we planned for it to happen this spring or summer. But for now, the house smells, the ceiling turns colors and the whole place just seems damp and yucky every day it rains. And of course, you can’t fix a leaky roof until the weather has stopped. So we wait.

But as annoying as the roof leak is, it isn’t devastating. Now the mudslides in California will be as is the earthquake in Haiti. Those are life altering situations where you don’t really know the outcome.

The miracles which are coming out of Haiti, as well as the bad things, either help me to reinforce or wonder at the human spirit. There are those who are thankful for their lives like the American girl who lost her foot but told us it was just a foot; or those who pitched stones at a young boy necessitating in the rescue of him by a CNN anchorman; or the American doctor and CNN correspondent Sanjay Gupta who watched in horror as all the medical staff just picked up and left a field hospital and the patients to their own fate. My faith was totally restored as the man rolled up his sleeves and told the crew they could return to the hotel but he would stay to do his real job. He stayed and cared for the twenty or so critical care patients with only his crew to help keep them alive through the night.

The news from California is not so good as at least a hundred and eighty-nine families prepare for evacuation from the mudslide zone. They are probably being moved as I type. And the rain keeps coming down in the area as storm after storm rolls across the region. And yes, these are the same storms coming through my neck of the world as I wonder if it will get cold enough for snow tonight. At least no matter what my situation, I will have a home but some of them may not and that has to be a scary prospect for them.

Now some of you many wonder just why I feel so deeply for these situations. I guess it’s because my roots are in medicine and caring for people. Every year, I’ve watched as people I know come and go to help those in more need than myself. Every year, I’ve wanted to go with them but my family and other things have keep me rooted to my home. Many times I’ve donated to relief funds and hope that my money will do some good.

And that’s what I propose for myself this time. But now it’s tied to you. For every book purchased or comment made, I will make a donation to the American Red Cross and earmark it for either Haiti or mudslide victims in California. I will donate $1 for every comment or book purchased up to $1000 because I am blessed and I know this. If you purchase a book of mine, just send me a copy of the receipt for verification and your name goes on the list. If you just drop by to comment, you need to let me know exactly where you heard about this and why you feel it’s important to give back.

So, give back, you’ll feel better for it! And buy a book, I’ll feel better...LOL! Truthfully, life is way too short not to help those in need.

See you all next week...and I promise to get back on track with writing...now if I can just get that drip out of my head. LOL!


Lynn